Interesting Question to Ask Yourself at Night is ” What did I Really See Today?”

Dear Reader:

Maybe it is just me… but I am seeing and feeling more kindness among my fellow life travelers in recent weeks. The strained, stern, self-contained/centered isolated expressions are being exchanged for lighter tones, more door holdings, smiles, grins, jokes, as I run errands daily. ( along with surprise random acts of kindness.)

Even with inflation affecting just about everything, ( and many everyone’s) shootings continuing to steal the front newspapers and daily broadcasts, divisive court rulings, scary environmental disasters, and viruses that seem to keep pouring out of Pandora’s Box… there’s a subtle change , in the air., bigger than all these obstacles… that is bringing a sense of renewed energy, unity, and hope for the future.

As my favorite Irish poet, priest, and philosopher, John O’ Donohue, observed ” One of the deepest longings of the human soul is to be seen and heard.”

Suddenly people are gathering to express their opinions on important decisions where once apathy and/ or resignation resided. Patriotism is awakening and ” We the people are deciding to become ” WE” again. Earlier divisive arguments are finding more common ground and areas of compromise-a word that was in fear of being dropped from the dictionary for lack of usage.

What got me started thinking about the title quote and John O’Donahue was this quote that popped up yesterday by him-” Music is what language would love to be …if it could.”

And no one writes more lyrically than this beautiful Irish poet whose life was cut short too soon. I remember Anne and I spent time at his cemetery while in Ireland eight years ago-eight years ago!!!!

**It was raining the day we stopped in Fanmore where the O’Donohue pub is located outside the ancestral cemetery**–**Creggagh**

In many of O’ Donohue ‘s writings he warns about slowing down to converse with our soul and to avoid the ” religion of rush.” I couldn’t help wonder if he felt his life might be shortened -actually dying in his sleep two days after his 52nd birthday.

I do remember Anne and I both taking time in Ireland to spend time alone to just think… something that seems harder to do in our country.

I took advantage of the ” Golden Hour” each day looking out on the Bay of Galway

So until tomorrow…” May you experience each day as a sacred gift… woven around the heart of wonder.” ( O’ Donohue)

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

This last quote puts a smile on my face and I hope yours too… a good way to end!

” May your prayer for listening deepen enough to hear … in the depths… the Laughter of God”

While Walsh and Mollie were in Asheville this past week -they visited Robertson, a high school buddy of Walsh’s …and his family-the two couples are close/-they have a little girl … so the two daughters had fun playing together.

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”

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